Category: Events

  • CKD 2026: a Rousing Success!

    CKD 2026: a Rousing Success!

    Despite the flip-flopping of the weather forecast (due to a nor’easter that drifted further west than originally anticipated) and the occasional sprinkle, over 400 children attended this year’s Celebrate Kids Day hosted by Warren Coalition on September 27th! The organizers were well-prepared for the crowd, thanks to the Senior Center generously allowing the Coalition to use their space, in addition to the 15th Street Gym and surrounding grounds. The Coalition also added a barrel train and an expanded petting zoo provided by Big D’s Pony Rides, and hosted a total of six inflatables, five of which were supplied by Incredible Inflatables.

    Attendees painted all 200 pumpkins, and even better, remembered to pick them up at the end of the day! They also took full advantage of free face painting and collected stamps at various games that they then used to claim prizes.  There were even performances by students from All-Star Legacy Cheer, Dance & Arts VA, and Jig ‘n’ Jive Dance Studio.

    The event brought together more than 20 vendors, agencies, and nonprofits from the local area, and put 11 individuals in the infamous “Pitch Burst.” Those individuals raised funds for the “honor” of sitting under 11-inch water balloons, with a friendly competition to see who could raise the most. Kevin Brooks won the Fundraising Championship title this year, bringing in $2,015, while Sheriff Crystal Cline took second place with $1,525. (After the event, Kevin obtained a final donation of $235 from the Auto Care Clinic, bringing his total to $2,250 and getting the Coalition to the $7,500 goal for the fundraiser!)

    “We are thrilled with how this year’s event went,” said Celeste Brooks, Deputy Director of the Warren Coalition. “Things flowed smoothly, because we had wonderful volunteers who were willing to step in and fill gaps wherever needed.”

    “I definitely had some periods where I got a little choked up thinking about what we truly accomplish with CKD,” said Warren Coalition Executive Director Christa Shifflett. “The prizes are structured so that kids have to keep trying, work toward a goal and then feel the joy of accomplishment, which I got to witness a couple of times! Children come out and perform, which gets them positive reinforcement while building confidence and maybe creating interest in other kids to sign up. And we have resources available for parents so they can get their kids more involved in the community.”

    “We couldn’t have done this event without our sponsors,” Brooks added. “There is no grant paying for Celebrate Kids Day. It is a day that is completely funded by local businesses and organizations.” This year’s sponsors included:

    • Giles B. Cook American Legion Post 53 (Inflatables & Pumpkins)
    • City National Bank (Petting Zoo)
    • Front Royal Dental Care (Event)
    • Rotary Club of Warren County (Train)
    • Northwestern Community Services Board (Inflatables & Promotions)
    • Kiwanis Club of Front Royal (DJ)
    • Front Royal/Warren County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #33 (Smile Maker)
    • Warren County VA Sheriff’s Office Foundation (Smile Maker)

    In-kind gifts were also provided by the Shawnee Farm Market, The River 95.3, National Media Services, and Play Favorites.

  • New Attractions for Celebrate Kids Day!

    New Attractions for Celebrate Kids Day!

    After seeing a record-setting crowd last year, event organizers from the Warren Coalition added an extra inflatable game and a train ride to this year’s Celebrate Kids Day line-up of activities!

    Celebrate Kids Day 2026 will be held from 1 pm to 4 pm on Sunday, September 27th, at the Health & Human Services Complex at 465 W 15th Street. The cost for a bracelet that provides unlimited access to all activities is $1 per child (no cost for parents). Participation in one of the Sports or Cake Walks is an additional $1 per participant. 

    Celebrate Kids Day includes all the activities kids love. This year’s inflatable rides, once again sponsored by Giles B. Cook American Legion Post 53 and Northwestern Community Services Board, will feature a moon bounce, giant dual-racing slides, a “wrecking ball,” a football target throw, a T-ball game, and a climbing wall! There will also be a petting zoo sponsored by City National Bank, pony rides, and face painting. The train ride was added thanks to a generous donation from the Rotary Club of Warren County.

    Coalition staff and volunteers will host games in which stamps and can use those stamps to go “shopping” at the prize tables, where they may choose from a variety of board games and toys.

    One of the activities the event is known for is the opportunity for children to paint a small pumpkin (included in the price of the bracelet and sponsored by Giles B. Cook American Legion Post 53) while supplies last. More than 25 agencies and businesses have signed up to participate so far! A DJ sponsored by Front Royal Kiwanis Club will be accompanying demonstrations presented by students at Jig ‘n’ Jive, All Star Legacy, and Dance & Arts VA. Several food trucks will be in attendance, including C & C Frozen Treats, Sipsy’s Dirty Sodas, and Talk of the Town.

    In addition to the sponsors already mentioned, Front Royal Dental Care, Front Royal/Warren County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #33, and the Warren County VA Sheriff’s Office Foundation have chipped in funds to help make this event possible, helping to cover non-sponsored costs such as the pony rides, face painting, and promotions.

    In conjunction with the event, the Coalition hosts a fundraiser featuring the Pitch Burst, a machine similar to a dunking booth, except that it drops an 11-inch balloon full of water on top of the “volunteer.” Community members have been challenged to raise $500 each to earn the “honor” of sitting in the Pitch Burst on the 27th. To see who has accepted this challenge, and/or make a gift to ensure that they get to sit in the “cold” seat, visit https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/peer-to-peer/pitch-burst–2026.

    For more information, visit https://warrencoalition.org/celebrate-kids-day/ or email wc@warrencoalition.org.

    Warren Coalition is a nonprofit agency established in 1994 to help fill the gaps in health care and substance misuse awareness to the community. The Coalition began under the guidance of Warren Memorial Hospital as an outreach project, but it has since grown and was incorporated in 2001.  The office is currently located in the Warren County Community Center.  Their mission is to make Warren County a safe, healthy, and drug-free community through many programs and in collaboration with 15+ member agencies.

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  • Free Pool Party August 9th

    Free Pool Party August 9th

    Local students entering grades six through eight this fall are invited to a free Pool Party hosted by Warren Coalition! This free event will be held at the Claude A. Stokes Community Pool in Front Royal on Sunday, August 9th, from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm.

    While admission is free, students are encouraged to bring donations of nonperishable food for those in need. This includes pasta, rice, cereal, meat or fish in pouches, and canned vegetables, meats, and fruits.

    New this year is a trivia contest (with prizes!) in which both students and parents can participate! Since supervision is provided, parents are welcome to stay but are not required to do so. Swimming is for the middle school students only.

    This event is open to all students entering grades six through eight who live in Warren County, whether they attend public or private school, or are homeschooled.

    For more information, email wc@warrencoalition.org.

  • Trauma-Supportive Certification Training February 12th

    Trauma-Supportive Certification Training February 12th

    The Warren Coalition will host a free, in-person Trauma-Supportive Training and Certification course on Thursday, February 12th, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Warren County Community Center. This is the first time in over two years that the Coalition has offered this Level 2 course to the community.

    Trauma-Supportive Training teaches the knowledge and skills required to support those possibly affected by trauma and toxic stress. Attendees will learn resilience-based practices that are applicable to classrooms, offices, and public services. They will also understand strategies to address hidden effects of trauma & toxic stress and to foster resilience in the individual and community.

    Registration is required. To sign up for the Trauma-Supportive Training and Certification being held on February 12th, visit bit.ly/ts-feb2026. Please note that to be eligible for the Trauma Supportive Training: Course 2, you must have a Trauma-Informed (Course 1) certification.

    For more information, email Celeste Brooks at celeste@warrencoalition.org.

  • Warren Coalition’s Celebrate Kids Day September 28th

    Warren Coalition’s Celebrate Kids Day September 28th

    Warren Coalition’s popular event “Celebrate Kids Day” has grown in attendance every year, and the community has responded! Thanks to generous donations and robust participation from local organizations, this year’s event promises to be the biggest (and hopefully the best) yet!

    Celebrate Kids Day 2025 will be held from 1 pm to 4 pm on Sunday, September 28th, at the Health & Human Services Complex at 465 W 15th Street. The cost for a bracelet that provides unlimited access to all activities is $1 per child (no cost for parents). Participation in one of the Sports or Cake Walks is an additional $1 per participant. 

    Celebrate Kids Day broke attendance records again last year, drawing in over 300 children. The popularity of the festival is undoubtedly the fact that it includes all the activities kids love. This year’s inflatable rides, sponsored by Giles B. Cook American Legion Post 53 and Northwestern Community Services Board, will feature a moon bounce with slide, an obstacle course, a football target throw, a climbing wall, and racing orbs! There will also be a petting zoo (sponsored by City National Bank), and face painting.

    Coalition staff and volunteers will host games with amazing prizes sponsored by Kiwanis Club of Front Royal. Instead of winning small prizes at each game, children will receive tickets and can use those tickets to go “shopping” at the prize tent, where there will be a variety of board games and toys to choose from.

    One of the activities the event is known for is the opportunity for children to paint a small pumpkin (included in the price of the bracelet and sponsored by Front Royal Dental Care) while supplies last. In addition, there will be various games and activities provided by organizations from across Warren County, including a large bowling mat from Royal Family Bowling. More than 20 agencies and businesses have signed up to participate so far! A DJ sponsored by Rotary Club of Northern Shenandoah Valley will be accompanying demonstrations presented by students at Jig ‘n’ Jive, All Star Legacy, and Mountain View Music.

    In addition to the sponsors already mentioned, Wells Fargo Advisor George Karnes, Rotary Club of Warren County, Front Royal/Warren County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #33, and Front Royal Elks Lodge No. 2382 have chipped in funds to help make this event possible, covering non-sponsored costs such as the pony rides, face painting, and promotions.

    Refreshments will be available for purchase. Unity Masonic Lodge No. 146 will be grilling the hot dogs and hamburgers.

    In conjunction with the event, the Coalition hosts a fundraiser featuring the Pitch Burst, a machine similar to a dunking booth, except that it drops an 11-inch balloon full of water on top of the “volunteer.” Community members have been challenged to raise $500 each to earn the “honor” of sitting in the Pitch Burst on the 28th. To see who has accepted this challenge, and/or make a gift to ensure that they get to sit in the “cold” seat, visit https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/peer-to-peer/pitch-burst–2025.

    For more information, email wc@warrencoalition.org.

    Warren Coalition, celebrating 30 years of service to Warren County, is a nonprofit agency established in 1994 to help fill the gaps in health care and substance abuse awareness to the community. The Coalition began under the guidance of Warren Memorial Hospital as an outreach project, but it has since grown and was incorporated in 2001.  The office is currently located in the Warren County Community Center.  Their mission is to make Warren County a safe, healthy, and drug free community through many programs and in collaboration with 15+ member agencies.

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